The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-09-24
ELIZABETH DILL.
Story Of q Young Girl I Foun'
Among the Mountains.

Story Of a Young Girl I Found
" Among the Mountains.
The first time | ever saw Elizabeth Dill
she was hanging to the boot of a stage
coach in the Rocky Mountains. was
climbing up narrow, rocky pass, and the
coach was coming down. AS it passed me,
caught sight Of a pale-Iaced, scrawny
little figure, in dirty calico dress, holding
to the straps of the boot behind. Her
tangled yellow hair was flying out in the
breeze, and her baro feet just escaped the
rocks in the road.
I 1 sat down on q rock and watched the
clumsy coach until it went rolling and
swaying around u curve in the pass. Here
the girl dropped lightly to the ground, and
came toward me, kicking up the dust as
she quickly advanced. A hundred yards
or more ahead of me there stood n rough
log-cabin, to the door of which, before the
girl reached me, there came slatternly
woman, with dirty baby in her arms, and
called, in sharp, rasping voice: ''Libl
You Lib Dill! Whar on airth air yel'
The child was within ton feet of me
when the woman called. In reply she cried
out, in an injured and irritatcd tone:
"Here bel"
What We been doin', o, / know; hangin
on to the stage, like the tom-boy ye airl
Want another licken', eh!"
II don't lSeer fer yer liclkin'ss" cried the
child, tossing her unkempt head defiantly,
while frown came over her thin face.
.'We ell you better care, miss!" cried the
woman, angrily.
The girl stood directly in front of me now,
rress and unabashed. With one swift,
ry movement of her hand she stripped
thin white arm of tho loose calico
that covered it, and held it out be-
*. there, and there, and therel" she
fktlng her finger at three long, dis
sr aarks on the upper part Of her
you think | keer fer any of her
Che after that." she asked, with an ex-
PRECISION pitifui TO see in the face of girl
of fourteen years.
'sWhat yo dom, Lib Dilla" screamed the
woman. II see ye, and ye'd better look
out!'
81 said was going to show them marks
to everybody l could, long as they was
there" said lib to me. "Sho give them to
me fer breallin' an old cracked teacup. 1t
amt fair fer her to lick me like that fer an
old cup, is it, mister"
There came a wistful expression to the
child's face, a wistful and pathetic quavcr
to her thin voice, as she pointed with her
bare arm toward the stage coach, which
had appeared again on distant part of the
puss.
s'Do you know, mister, that if could
only do it, I'd hang on to that coach some
time till it had carried me clean away from
herer'
'And leave your parentss" asked.
ssParrents!" she sneered. s'Them amt
my parents; wouldn't own 'em IL they
was. She amt no kin at all, an her mans
only some forty-ffth cousin or other of my
dead.an' gone mother; but they're jist as
much kin as want 'em to be-"
The words We're uttered with scorn, but
on Lib's face was malignant look that nc
|. young girls face should wear
Unmindful of the woman's command tl
"Come right straight here |" Lib sat dowr
on a rock n ear me, rested her chin in one
of her thin hands, and asked: aWhere yo,
from?"
''From New England" said.
s'Purty country, amt its"
every pretty indeed at this time of the
year" 1t was then October. "Have yol
ever been East!" l asked.
a "Mcw Lib laughed that unpleasant
Waugh again. She stood ON bowlder, ant
pointed far away to the west, to where
falopg line Of mountain peaks rose dark ant
nnbroken in the distance.
.sMister," she said, 81 aint never boel
j beyond them mountains in all the days 0
my life. Crystal City lays at the foot @
that range, an was born there. Tha
stage coach goin' down this pass III b
further east by noon than over was. From
this rock can see further north an sOut
than ever was. Me been Easti Bette
asly ii amt been ter college tool"
Il don't suppose you have school here,
] said asgently us l could.
sinister, Pm the only boy Or girl Of schoo
ago or size in ten miles O. here. Have yo
any children, mister"
~ have three" said.
SCOT little girl, mebbe"
''Yes,nI said, IA little GIRL" Thankful
that she was not as this child was.
''Mebbe she's bout my size, misterl"
4'She is," said.
swell, now, mister" said Lib, slowl
and deliberately, show would you like fe
her to be like met How would you lik
fer her to be licked fer nothin', like am I.
/ shuddered Mt the mere suggestion Z
such dread contingencies Lib went on:
'.You wouldn't like it. hey. recko
not. Well / do hope that little girl {
your'n II neyer be like am, nor what III
likely to be when grow up"
The pathos and hopelessness in her voic
v brought tears 10 my eyes. M lr4
"And, mister, do ye know I'd walk, II
,srari away from this place this day II
\ Wasn't fer-fer----"
Hor ragged sleeve went up to her eyes
her helld, held high in defiance until nov
'xviropped low; her voice faltercd as she wer
3 On,
"If IL wasn't for Laty."
M ssAnG who is Latyi'
ssThe baby that that there woman hel
An her arms when she come to the doc
Her baby, " is. He's the cunnin'est iittl
b 1hinfyl aii' he loves me, he docs. He put
hi< arms round my mock, an says 80 plai
~ my thing. Don't you want 70 see hiu
- AMT v bit afraid OF strangers, and